Tag Archive for manchester

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: along with Cock Sparrer and The Vibrators, The Buzzcocks were one of the most underrated bands of the 70s punk genre. I’ve posted on their compilation album Singles Going Steady before, and if you’ve never checked them out I recommend you check that one out first (it’s sort of a “greatest hits” type), but their second album Love Bites is also a solid listen.

Many consider 1978 released Love Bites the album where The Buzzcocks really found their sound, mixing catchy pop hooks with punk rock aggression. Songs like “Ever Fallen In Love”, “Operator’s Manual”, and “Just Lust” show exactly how well this Manchester band could craft a melody with punk dissonance. A bit of a departure from the rest of the album, but the song “Love Is Lies” is simple, desperate, and easily one of my favorites on the album.

If you dig 70s punk at all, you really can’t go wrong with The Buzzcocks. They’ve influenced countless punk bands over the years and even though they never reached the same level of success as The Clash or The Ramones, they were just as important.

I’m going to keep this one short, but I’ve been on a real Buzzcocks kick lately, and can’t stop listening to their compilation album Singles Going Steady. Even though they never achieved the same amount of fame as other 70s contemporaries such as The Ramones or The Clash, The Buzzcocks were just as important in shaping punk rock.

Singles Going Steady captures these British dudes biggest songs that were recorded from 1977-1979, with a few B-sides thrown in for good measure. Playing catchy punk rock anthems, Singles Going Steady features upbeat melodies with charming off-key vocals, the album still has plenty of punk rage. From the desperate “What Do I Get?” to the driving “Oh Shit”, The Buzzcocks’ Singles Going Steady is a vital masterpiece necessary in any punk fan’s collection.